Use of mobile computing and communication devices (i.e., “mobile devices”) in vehicles is a hotly debated topic. While use of mobile devices provides convenience and can significantly enhance worker availability, connectivity, and productivity, it has also been shown that reckless use of mobile devices in moving vehicles has a detrimental effect and impact on the ability of a driver/operator (hereinafter referred to, for convenience, as the “driver”) of the vehicle to focus on driving or otherwise operating the vehicle. In fact, some studies have indicated that distracted driving may be even more dangerous than driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
The number of vehicular accidents attributed to driver inattentiveness or distraction while talking, texting, surfing, browsing, or otherwise interacting with or using a mobile device within a vehicle, rather than focusing full attention on driving or operating the vehicle, continues to increase. Numerous cities, counties, states, and even the Federal government have imposed or are considering legal restrictions on use of (or that imposed increased sanctions, penalties, or punishments for accidents that occur due to use of) such mobile devices by a driver of a vehicle. As the functionality and capabilities of mobile devices continues to improve and expand, however, the potential distractions posed by mobile devices to drivers of vehicles is only likely to increase even more—leading to further accidents, higher risks to drivers, passengers, and any third parties near such vehicles, higher insurance rates, and more litigation.
Although laws may be passed, company policies may be adopted, and insurance policies may be tailored to provide lower insurance rates (deductibles and/or premiums) for drivers who do not use their mobile device while they are actively operating a vehicle, the options and ability for physically or technologically controlling, managing, limiting, monitoring, and auditing use of mobile devices, particularly in real time and based on other factors and variables (such as whether the vehicle is on and/or moving, how fast it is moving, what time of day it is, what day of the week it is, where the vehicle is located, and the like) has been limited, to date.
For these reasons, there remains a need in the industry for improved systems, methods, and devices that use computer-implemented, configurable policies to block, control, manage, limit, monitor, and/or audit use of mobile devices in vehicles and, particularly, use of such mobile devices by drivers of vehicles.
In addition to minimizing distracted driving, there remains a significant need to be able to identify, accurately and in a cost-effective and efficient manner, who is driving a vehicle at any given time, based on location of the driver's mobile device within the vehicle. Being able to detect one or more mobile devices in a vehicle provides some valuable data in this regard, especially if there is only one mobile device in the vehicle when it is being driven and especially if that mobile device is designated as the primary mobile associated with the primary driver of that vehicle. If there is more than one mobile device in a vehicle, being able to determine which mobile device is in, near, or closest to the driver quadrant or space within the vehicle provides even more valuable data.
For example, accurately identifying the driver versus the passenger in a vehicle helps to eliminate the inadvertent blocking or limiting of functionality of the passenger's mobile device, which is generally unnecessary to reduce distracted driving. In addition, accurately identifying the driver of a vehicle, based on their mobile device, enables important data to be collected about the vehicle, about the driver's driving patterns over time, and about the driver's activities and driving actions during a specific driving event. In addition, being able to store and upload relevant driver and vehicle data to a driver's mobile device presents significant business opportunities and can be used for many different purposes.
The above needs and features, as well as additional aspects and business applications, are disclosed herein and will become readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading and studying the following summary of the present inventions, the detailed description of preferred embodiments, and the claims included hereinafter. The present inventions meet one or more of the above-referenced needs as described herein in greater detail.